Lisa Stansfield AFFECTION 30th Anniversary UK Tour. Photo Credit: Ed Fielding
30 years after the release of her debut solo album AFFECTION, Lisa Stansfield still knows how to command an audience
Lisa Stansfield brought an early 90s dance party vibe to Salford’s The Lowry on Saturday to mark the 30th-anniversary release of her debut solo album AFFECTION.
Released in 1989, the multi-platinum album went onto sell over 5 million copies worldwide, winning 3 BRIT Awards, 2 Ivor Novello Awards, a Billboard Music Award and 2 Grammy nominations. Its singles ALL AROUND THE WORLD (which did indeed become massive across the globe), WHAT DID I DO TO YOU, LIVE TOGETHER, YOU CAN’T DENY IT and THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME exploded onto the airwaves and introduced Stansfield and her unique brand of soul, R&B and Brit-house to the masses.
Lisa Stansfield AFFECTION 30th Anniversary UK Tour. Photo Credit: Ed Fielding
Kicking off the 90-minute show with the album’s title track AFFECTION, Stansfield still knows how to command an audience, winning over fans with her soulful and sultry voice. Born in Crumpsall, and growing up in Heywood and Rochdale, the Salford leg of the tour is something of a homecoming performance, Stansfield thanking the sell-out crowd for their support over the past 30 years and encouraging them to get up and dance in the aisles as she belts out classics like REAL THING and YOU CAN’T DENY IT.
The night was filled with a mixture of tracks from the AFFECTION album alongside fan favourites and classics from Stansfield seven subsequent solo records. Unsurprisingly, THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME and ALL AROUND THE WORLD had whole-hearted interactions. PEOPLE HOLD ON also went down well, as did the encore of LIVE TOGETHER.
Lisa Stansfield AFFECTION 30th Anniversary UK Tour. Photo Credit: Ed Fielding
A special mention must go to the band who complimented the performance perfectly, each musician given their own time to shine during the evening with a solo in each song. The flautist and the percussion solos performed by Michael Donnelly and Mark Cotgrove particularly stood out, gaining praise from their fellow musicians as well as the audience. It was just THE WAY YOU WANT IT.
With the right kind of SINCERITY and POISON, it was a crowd filled with a MIGHTY LOVE for the singer-songwriter. THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME for Stansfield to tour.
Lisa Stansfield AFFECTION 30TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR performed at The Lowry, Salford on 26 October 2019.
Vikki Rutter is a North West review writer, working in the glamorous world of TV. Lover of travel and cats, although travelling cats not so much.
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